Finding a voice after suicide loss.

Years ago, when I was five months pregnant with my daughter and my son was only two-and-a-half years old, I came home from work one night to find that my then-husband had attempted suicide by swallowing an entire bottle of pills. Thankfully, he survived. He spent 30 days in the hospital receiving the help he needed and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

At the time, I suppressed my emotions. Because of the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide, I rarely spoke about what had happened.

Approximately 30 years later, I received an early morning phone call from the daughter I was carrying when her father first attempted suicide. Through tears, she told me that her father had taken his own life. Experiencing this yourself is devastating, but watching your children experience that pain is an entirely different kind of heartbreak.

At some point after his death, I felt compelled to learn more about suicide and its impact. I discovered that approximately 54% of Americans have been affected by suicide in some way. Yet despite how widespread its impact is, few people talk openly about it.

That realization helped me find my voice. I first shared my family’s story at a small fundraiser at the Ferndale Elks, never expecting the response it would generate. In the months that followed, people approached me privately to share their own experiences, many for the first time.

Building a committee around compassion

In April 2023, I was appointed Chairperson of the Wellness Committee during only its second year of existence. At the time, we had just two members. We shifted our focus to mental health awareness and suicide prevention, and today our committee has grown to more than 20 members.

Throughout the year, we raise funds for several organizations:

• My Place Center for Wellness, which provides peer-led mental health recovery programs, social activities, and wellness services in a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment for individuals throughout Oakland County.
• Affirmations LGBTQ+ Community Center, helping to expand its Behavioral Health Program.
• Common Ground’s Virtual Urgent Care and Crisis Helpline, which provides immediate mental health support, crisis intervention, medication management, and referrals for additional care. Its Crisis Helpline offers free, confidential support for mental health emergencies, substance-use concerns, and victims of crime through phone and text services.

The committee also promotes Mental Health Awareness Month, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and Random Acts of Kindness Month. Our activities have included Rock Painting Wednesdays to spread kindness and joy throughout the community; a Bike Club that encourages healthy outdoor activity, including a ride across the newly opened Gordie Howe International Bridge; and a Suicide Awareness Dinner featuring guest speakers and the development of a Suicide, Crisis, Survivor Resources, and Wellness Services guide.

Walking out of the darkness

Every September, the Wellness Committee participates in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Walk. This year, as Team Elks - Metro District #4200, we will proudly walk for the third consecutive year on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Belle Isle State Park.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide through research, education, advocacy, and support for survivors of suicide loss.

No family should ever have to experience the loss of a loved one to suicide, yet many do. No one should lose a friend, neighbor, teammate, coworker, or community member to suicide, yet it happens every day. The good news is that suicide can often be prevented through education, awareness, open conversations, recognition of warning signs, and compassion for one another.

Together, we can honor those we have lost, support those who are struggling, and help create a future where fewer families experience the pain of suicide loss.

You matter. You are loved. You are not alone.